Are you so busy chatting with friends during classes that you forget to listen to the teacher? Are you more concerned about getting a date to prom than passing chemistry? If so, then school might be more of a social event for you than something serious. This could be a big problem, especially if you’re planning on going to college after graduation. College application reviews can get an idea if a person was serious about school by merely looking at the kinds of classes that the person took and the grades that they received. If you want to change and make school more serious and less social, there are a couple of things that you can do! It’s never too late to change and make school a meaningful educational experience. Here are a couple of ways that you can get started down the path of being a serious student:
First of all, make sure that you don’t sit near your friends when you are in class. This way, you won’t be tempted to chat with your friends instead of writing down what’s on the chalkboard! Put away your cellphone too, so you won’t think about texting your crush while your teacher is talking! Instead, listen to what the teacher is saying. Take notes in class, and ask questions when you don’t understand something. If you still need help, go in after class and see if your teacher can give you some tutoring.
Another thing that you can do to become more serious about school is to take classes which are academically challenging. Don’t fill up your whole schedule taking electives – take an honors or AP class instead! Even if you don’t need to take an AP or honors class to fulfill your graduation requirements, it’s not a bad idea to take it in place of an elective. Or, if there is a subject that you really are interested in, take an extra class in that subject! By opting to take a more serious, challenging, interesting class, you are setting yourself up to be more serious-minded about school!
The next thing that you can do to make school more serious and less social is to STUDY! The idea of studying may sound lame and boring at first, but when you begin to get serious about the things you are learning, you may find out that some things are interesting and rewarding. The first step to studying is by doing your homework assignments daily. Keep on top of the work load that your teacher gives you, so that you can understand the new concepts and ideas that are introduced in class.
Besides doing homework, another thing that you need to do is study for upcoming tests and quizzes. If you need to memorize concepts or ideas, try and make flashcards to help you memorize. It’s best to start making flashcards while you’re doing your regular homework, way before the test date, so that you’re not trying to cram in info the night before the exam! You can carry flashcards around with you to different places, so you can study while you’re waiting for the bus, watching TV, or babysitting.
Another thing that you can do to make school more serious and less social is to set priorities in your life. If you really want to make school more serious, then you’re going to have to give up some socializing time. As not fun as it may be, you might need to give up some trips to the mall or some late-night phone chats with your BFF. Try to get all of your homework and studying done first, and then go hang out with friends afterwards! If you follow these helpful hints, you’ll be able to be more serious about school and get everything that you can out of your education!

Do you want to get on your teacher’s good side without necessarily becoming a teacher’s pet? There are a lot of things that you can do to get on your teacher’s good side. Remember, though, teachers are really smart. They will be able to tell if you’re trying to kiss-up to them. Although sometimes this can help you to get on your teacher’s good side, try to just be nice and compliment them without looking like you’re intentionally kissing-up. The best thing to do, first of all, is to show to your teacher that you are willing and excited to learn about what they are going to teach you. Having a positive attitude toward what you are learning always helps you to get along better with your teacher.

Here are a couple more easy tips to help you get on your teacher’s good side:

Use polite language when talking to your teacher: Say lots of “pleases” and “thank-yous” when talking to your teacher. Also, look at your teacher in the eye when you are speaking to them or listening to them speak to you. Eye contact is very important, and it helps your teacher to feel like you are listening to what they have to say! Some teachers also love to hear “sirs,” “madams,” or “misses.” Never be rude or mean when speaking to your teacher – that won’t help you to get on their good side at all! Remember, teachers are people too, and they have feelings!

Don’t make excuses: Teachers can always tell when a student is making excuses for poor performance in class. Let’s be honest, no teacher wants to hear, “The dog ate my homework.” Be as responsible as you can with your homework, so that you won’t be tempted to make up excuses! If you have a real problem that’s affecting your schoolwork, be honest with your teacher and tell them about the situation. Even though we can’t guarantee that you’ll get a better grade from your teacher for doing this, they will appreciate your honesty and openness with them.

Ask questions: This is a great way to get on your teacher’s good side and show that you are willing to learn! Raise your hand whenever you have a real question – just don’t raise your hand so much that you start to become annoying to your teacher! Make sure that you ask relevant and thoughtful questions that will help you to better understand what’s being taught. If you will still are having difficulty understanding concepts, go in for tutoring a couple times after class. This will show you’re teacher that you take his/her class seriously, and it’s an easy way to get on the good side of your teacher!

Don’t talk to your crush during class! It’s kind of obvious – talking to your friends or your crush during class is one of the best ways to get on your teacher’s bad side! Teachers always like the students that are good, attentive listeners. Text messaging your friends during school is also a bad idea. If your teacher sees you doing this, they will get the impression that you don’t care about their class or listening to them. Class may not be as fun, but you’ll need to put your cellphone in your backpack and save the texts for another time.

Always be very respectful to your teacher and don’t give the impression that you aren’t respectful. For example, chatting and whispering is one of the easiest ways to destroy a relationship of respect between a teacher and a student – it is easy for the teacher to think that you are whispering about them! Instead of whispering or talking, focus on listening to what the teacher has to say, and you’ll be on your way to getting on their good side!